5 Most Common Marketing Mistakes
The implementation of effective marketing activities can be challenging. After all, not everyone is skilled in marketing and employing or even using the services of external specialists is a cost that many companies cannot afford. Is there a solution to this problem?
Fortunately, the 21st century provides us with the assistance of innovative technologies. With their help and some amount of basic knowledge, we are perfectly capable of running successful promotional campaigns, while saving valuable time and money. In this day and age, anyone can become a marketing specialist if they use the right tools. The only prerequisite is the avoidance of a few basic mistakes. What are they?
#1 Insufficient knowledge about clients
It is impossible to sell our products or promote our services if we don’t know our recipients. With precise background knowledge of our clients’ needs and their key characteristics, we can communicate effectively enough to encourage them to visit our establishment. What’s more, this knowledge also serves as the basis for making important business decisions, such as changes to our product range, price adjustments and so forth.
Therefore, it’s absolutely crucial to collect vital client information. In the beauty industry, it should include: electronic client records with the history of their visits and purchases, client preferences, “before and after” photos (very useful to see the results of a treatment) and other important notes which help to provide our clients with exceptional quality of customer service which continues to improve with each individual visit. Such a tool often forms an integral part of a comprehensive business management software – as in the case of Versum, a system for beauty salons and SPAs.
#2 Inability to analyze the current situation and plan for the long-term
Many companies undertake marketing activities on rare occasions – most often when the owner or manager notices a sales drop. Unfortunately, a one-off, sudden action tends to bring poor results and consumes much more energy and time than it is worth.
If we want the best results, we must conduct well thought-out, systematic actions, planned well in advance and based on the analysis of our current business situation. This does not mean, however, that you need to regularly spend long hours on creating complicated reports. All we need is some good tools, such as the Versum system, which automatically generates detailed statistics based on the company’s activities, providing us with all the information we need in order to properly assess the company’s condition and decide what steps will ensure its further growth.
#3 Ineffectual or non-existent website
Today, a large part of our everyday life takes place online. We use the Internet for communication, shopping or when searching for services – because it allows us to save a lot of valuable time, and significant amounts of money. The term “we” means millions of Internet users, or in other words potential clients of any company operating in any market. By deciding not to have a website or a profile on social media, we are cutting our business off from one of the most important channels for gaining new clients. A similar situation applies when we have a website or a social media profile, but they are neglected and in need of an update.
A well-designed and attractive website fulfills numerous functions. It is a virtual business card of a company, thanks to which potential clients quickly find interesting information about the company, and a place where the company can publish the opinions of their existing clients, which helps to build a positive company image. A website page or a Facebook profile can also be used to provide clients with the ability to book their visits online, quickly and conveniently.
#4 Failure to stay in regular contact with clients
We are living at a time when more and more people are keen to take advantage of various types of services. A good example is the beauty industry, which has been growing at a surprising rate in recent years, expanding its customer base among both women and men. Unfortunately, the growth of an industry also equates greater competition, which necessitates continued efforts to gain client approval and loyalty. That is why it is so important to know how to properly communicate with your clients and how to promote your business effectively.
The development of systematic and well-adapted methods of client communication does not have to be time-consuming and taxing. Using modern tools, which will not only facilitate the process but even partially automate it. One such tool is the Versum management system, which has many useful functionalities to streamline effective client communication. Automatic text and email reminders, mass messages, automatic marketing, an attractive loyalty programme, integration with Facebook or your website – the Versum system is the ideal formula for perfect communication!
#5 Underestimating the potential of customer feedback
The development of the services market is also linked to a change in the attitude of the clients themselves. Today’s consumers are more aware and like to know their product well before they buy it. As they have a choice, they like to make it a good one so they don’t waste time or money. That is why, before they take advantage of a specific offer, they seek associated information and opinions of other clients.
Despite this fact, many entrepreneurs continue to underestimate the potential of customer feedback. It’s a grave mistake! By giving our clients the opportunity to express their opinion on our services, we can gain a great deal. On the one hand, this provides us with the best quality monitoring of the services we provide, enabling us to determine what we have already perfected and what still needs to be done. On the other hand, it is an effective tool for building the company image, for instance, by publishing client opinions on the company website.
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The elimination of basic marketing mistakes is the key to effective and effortless promotion of your company. Fortunately, in order to do this, you don’t need to completely overhaul your business strategies or employ costly experts. Take advantage of tested, innovative solutions, such as the versatile Versum system. With these tools, your road to success will be much shorter and certainly less bumpy!
We hope you enjoyed the promoted piece as much as we did!
